Book Review and Author Giveaway~A Dream of Miracles

 About the Book: Mattie Diener can barely keep it together. A young Amish widow and mother of two young children, she faces the lingering heartbreak of lost love, her son's mysterious illness, and a torrent of accusations that threaten to undo her. 

Bo Lambright is a fast-rising social services investigator whose high-society mother won't rest until she finds his Mrs. Right. Despite Bo's worldly success, the raw ache of a shadowy past and a series of unsettling dreams have left him reeling. 

When Mattie and Bo cross paths, all signs point to disaster. Yet as they face a crucible of trials and tragedies together, longings begin to stir that seem destined only to end in more heartbreak. Is a miracle possible-not only of healing but of forbidden love? What secrets lie in Bo's dreams? And will Mattie find the courage to face her uncertain future...or will she simply run away?

What I Thought:  Ruth Reid is a favorite author of mine. A Dream of Miracles is by far my favorite book of hers. Although it is the third book in the Amish Wonders series, it can definitely be read by itself. The concept of an Amish family being investigated by social services is one I have not read before in an Amish fiction novel. As my husband is a social worker, it held special interest to me as well. My heart ached for Mattie, not only a widow but with a son with recurring illness, and with a history of depression. A Dream of Miracles would make a great Book Club/Book Group book, and has a Reading Group Guide at the back.  Get this book-you won't be disappointed, I couldn't put it down!

Read more reviews at Litfuse.  Learn more about A Dream of Miracles and where to purchase  your own copy at Ruth Reid's website.

Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA bestselling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She's a full-time pharmacist who lives in Florida with her husband and three children. When attending Ferris State University School of Pharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amish community and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interest grew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life.

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When a suspicious outsider with a shadowy past comes crashing into Amish widow Mattie’s fragile world, can she learn to love again? Find out in Ruth Reid's new book, A Dream of Miracles. When Mattie and Bo cross paths, all signs point to disaster. Yet as they face a crucible of trials and tragedies together, longings begin to stir that seem destined only to end in more heartbreak. Is a miracle possible—not only of healing but of forbidden love? What secrets lie in Bo’s dreams? And will Mattie find the courage to face her uncertain future . . . or will she simply run away?

Ruth is celebrating the release of A Dream of Miracles with a Kindle Fire HD 6 giveaway (details below) and an author chat party on May 3!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• One copy of A Dream of Miracles
• A Kindle Fire HD 6

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 5/3. The winner will be announced at A Dream of Miracles Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Ruth and other fans of Amish fiction, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 3rd!

 

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~Simple Pleasures

                                                              






Simple Pleasures: Stories from My Life as an Amish Mother, by Marianne Jantzi, is published by Herald Press. It is 262 pages, including A Day in the Life of the Author, Jantzi Favorite Family Recipes, and FAQs About the Amish: The Author Answers.










About the Book: Young Amish homemaker Marianne Jantzi invites readers into her family's life on the snowy plains of Ontario. The mother of four young children and wife of a storekeeper, Jantzi writes about her daily routines and heartfelt faith with equal measures of wit and warmth. Sewing, cleaning, cooking, gardening, and helping to manage the store take up most hours in her day, but Jantzi finds time to pen columns for the Connection, a magazine beloved by Amish and Mennonite readers across the United States and Canada. Never sugarcoating the frustrations of motherhood, Jantzi tells it like it is, broken washing machine and bickering children and all. But through her busy days, Jantzi finds strength in simple pleasures of family, fellowship with her Amish community, and quiet time with God.



What I Thought: As a lover of Amish fiction, I have been enjoying the Plainspoken series, which includes real life stories of the Amish and Mennonite in their own words. Simple Pleasures: Stories from My Life as an Amish Mother is a wonderful addition to this series. It is simply the everyday life of an Amish wife and mother-nothing spectacular. But to those of us who are fascinated with the Amish lifestyle, it is a rare look into their lives. I found that, although there are obvious differences (such as no electricity), her life is not all that different from mine. She experiences the same struggles and joys with family life. Mrs. Jantzi is a talented writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed her beautiful descriptions of even the simplest things.

As much as I enjoyed Simple Pleasures, I think it is a book that only those interested in the Amish would enjoy. The only problem I had reading it was the stories were not chronological.  An example is one chapter may be talking about their three children, and next they only have one child. It happened often, and was confusing. Other than that, it was a wonderful look into the author's life that was a pleasure to read.

About the Author:  Marianne Jantzi is an Amish writer and homemaker in Ontario, Canada. Formerly a teacher in an Amish school, Jantzi now educates and inspires through her "Northern Reflections" column for The Connection, a magazine directed mainly to Amish and plain communities across the U.S. and Canada. She and her husband have four young children and run a shoe store among the Milverton Amish settlement of Ontario.

Read more reviews of Simple Pleasures at Litfuse, and purchase your own copy at MennoMedia. 

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.